Aurangzeb: Aurangzeb killed his brothers and imprisoned his father for power. Imposed Jaziya on Hindus, destroyed temples, tortured saints. Kept daughter Zebunnisa in captivity for 20 years, where she died.

Aurangzeb: Aurangzeb's full name was Abdul Muzaffar Muhiuddin Aurangzeb Alamgir. He was the sixth ruler of the Mughal Empire. Aurangzeb is known for his harsh policies and fanatic rule. He killed his brothers for power and also imprisoned his father, Shah Jahan. But very few people know that he had his own daughter Zebunnisa, whom he kept in captivity for almost 20 years.

Cruel policies and atrocities of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb:

Murder of brother and imprisonment of father: Aurangzeb defeated and killed his own brother Dara Shikoh to gain power.

He also put his father Shah Jahan under house arrest in Agra Fort, due to which he died in captivity.

Cruelty against Maratha warriors: After capturing Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, he was subjected to horrific tortures. His eyes were gouged out, tongue was cut and he was brutally killed by mutilating his body.

Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur: Guru Tegh Bahadur was forced to convert to Islam. When he refused, he was tortured and killed in captivity.

Religious oppression on Hindus: Jaziya tax, which was abolished by Akbar, was re-imposed, due to which Hindus had to pay heavy taxes. Many important temples, such as Kashi Vishwanath, Krishna Janmabhoomi and Somnath, were destroyed.

Attack on Rajput states: Rajput rulers of Mewar and Marwar were forcibly taxed.

Maharani Ajit Singh's mother of Marwar also had to endure inhumane treatment.

Atrocities on saints and spiritual leaders: Many Bhakti saints, especially Sant Ramdas, were tortured. The property of Hindu ashrams and temples was confiscated.

War and cruelty in South India: States like Bijapur and Golconda were invaded and their rulers were removed. During the war, the soldiers looted, killed and tortured women.

Atrocities on Hindu society: Attempts were made to forcibly convert millions of Hindus to Islam. Atrocities with the general public and incidents of violence against women became common.

Who was Zebunnisa?

Zebunnisa was the eldest and extremely intelligent daughter of Aurangzeb. Zebunnisa was born on 15 February 1638. From childhood, she was interested in studies.

She had a deep understanding of Arabic and Persian and became a Hafiz (knower of the Quran) at the age of only 7 years. Aurangzeb initially gave her great respect, but as her interest in literature, Sufi ideas and teachings of other religions grew, her father's displeasure also increased. She was proficient in Persian and Arabic literature and was also a brilliant poetess. Her poems became famous under the name "Makhfi" (secret).

Why was she imprisoned?

It is said that Zebunnisa disagreed with her father's strict religious policies and at times she also opposed his decisions. According to some historical sources, she was inclined towards the Sufi ideology of Dara Shikoh, which Aurangzeb did not like. According to another story, Zebunnisa's heart fell for a young prince Akram Khan, and when Aurangzeb came to know about this, he imprisoned his daughter in Salimgarh Fort in Delhi.

Zebunnisa remained imprisoned within the walls of the fort for about 20 years. It is said that she breathed her last there and was buried anonymously. This story of Aurangzeb shows his cruelty, where he did not spare his own family for power.

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